Gabe Taube from Kansas City, MO., enjoys the slice of pizza at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colo., on Tuesday, June 5, 2012. DenverÕs Civic Center Eats, an annual summertime outdoor-cafŽ program at downtownÕs Civic Center Park, returned. The cafes will run every Tuesday and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. though Sept 27.

For Cunningham, 30, “food truck” was no foreign concept. In fact, 1976 his parents started RollinGreens, a Boulder-based mobile organic eatery.

When Cunningham’s parents started a family, they decided to can the truck. Thirty years later, the business restarted, but with new wheels. Mandel said it took her and Cunningham about five weeks to buy a truck, outfit it with a kitchen and start selling local and organic dishes in the spirit of the original RollinGreens.

“I cook a lot of love into the food,” said Cunningham, whose mother owns a cooking school in Boulder.

On Tuesday, the couple brought the love, the reggae music and RollinGreens to Denver for the return of Civic Center EATS Outdoor Café. Now in its seventh year, what began as a farmer’s market — an effort made by the nonprofit Civic Center Conservatory to revitalize the area — has slowly transformed into a mobile lunch-serving arena.

Scott Hatch, 39, works at MapQuest, a short walk from the Civic Center. He’s been enjoying the food trucks for two years — and said he couldn’t wait for their summer return.

“My plan is to come every week and try a different place,” Hatch said.

But decision on opening day was tough. Hatch eventually chose to line up for RollinGreens. He said it was the bulgogi — a Korean BBQ dish — that sold him.

As he waited for his food, Hatch noted Civic Center EATS’ transformative effects on the area.

“Civic Center Park used to be just homeless people, except for the big events,” he said. “It’s become much more business, employee friendly.”

Nine more food trucks have joined Civic Center EATS since last year, bringing the total to 42 participating food trucks.

About 30 trucks will join the mobile food court most Tuesdays and Thursdays until late September from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A smaller-scale Civic Center Hump Day Café will hold down the area most Wednesdays.

“We like to say that Civic Center EATS is a showcase of Denver’s culinary and entrepreneurial diversity,” said Conservancy executive director Lindy Eichenbaum Lent .

Diners can expect a wide range of lunch dishes including gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options provided by the colorful lines of food trucks that straddle shaded outdoor seating.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock made an appearance to welcome the food trucks return. During a noontime speech, he encouraged the community to walk the park and enjoy the annual gourmet trucks.

“Today we open up the Civic Center EATS, and we close the Civic Center food desert that exists, which is pretty exciting,” Hancock said. “Now I have a place to eat without having to jump into the car and go somewhere.”